GDYNIA (Poland) - France defended their FIBA U20 EuroBasket title, overcoming Slovenia in the Final of the 2024 edition to complete the back-to-back triumphs.
This victory comes just a week after France's triumph in the same age category for women at the FIBA U20 Women's EuroBasket 2024.
Having trailed for most of the contest, the French team managed to turn the game around with a late spurt in the fourth quarter, emerging victorious 82-78 in Sunday's title-decider.
Zacharie Perrin led Les Bleus to glory with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists and 3 blocks, while Noah Penda chipped in with a 15-point and 14-rebound double-double to go with 5 assists.
Urban Klavzar scored a game-high 23 points for Slovenia in what was the country's first Final appearance at the U20 EuroBasket in 20 years. The runner-up finish also earned them the country's first medal at the event since 2006 when they finished third.
Zacharie Perrin received the Most Valuable Player honors after a stellar campaign, which saw the big man put up 15.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game for an average efficiency of 18.2 in the title-winning run.
The All-Star Five of the tournament was comprised of Perrin, his teammate Noah Penda, Slovenia guard Urban Klavzar, Nathan Missia-Dio of Belgium and Vangelis Zougris from Greece.
It was Greece who completed the podium in Gdynia, topping Belgium 70-68 in a rematch of last year's Third-Place Game to secure back-to-back bronze medals at the event.
The three bottom-ranked teams – Türkiye, North Macedonia and Montenegro – were relegated, while Division B winners Romania, runners-up Ukraine and Finland, who finished third, will play in Division A next year after earning promotion in Pitesti, Romania.
Final Standings
France
Slovenia
Greece
Belgium
Lithuania
Czechia
Spain
Poland
Italy
Israel
Serbia
Germany
Iceland
Türkiye
North Macedonia
Montenegro
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